September 27, 2010

Mexico lifts pork ban from Smithfield Plant

Mexico has lifted a ban on imports of pork from Smithfield Packing Co.'s Tar Heel, North Carolina slaughterhouse.

The ban, imposed on August 13, was applied to all products produced till September 12 "because it was found to be off-conditioned during their port-of-entry inspection," according to a government spokesperson.

Mexico determined on September 12 that the plant's corrective action was acceptable. As a result, the Tar Heel plant can resume shipments of pork produced after that date, FSIS said.

In a separate action, Mexico has applied a tariff on the country's pork imports from the United States as a result of a North American Free Trade Agreement trucking dispute. Mexico is the second largest market for U.S. pork - totaling US$762 million in 2009.